Portland is lucky to have some of the very best drinking water in the world. Pipes from the Bull Run Watershed provide Portlanders up to 212 million gallons per day!

The Portland City Council, which is the steward of the Bull Run Watershed and our water system, has long been committed to ensuring our community’s ownership of the system, keeping the watershed protected from logging and other development, and using the Bull Run and our wellfield as our only sources of water.

The watershed projects list shares the many projects and activities that help protect the quality of our watershed – and the outstanding drinking water it provides.

Some activities happen frequently, like testing water quality and bureau equipment, and monitoring and recording wildlife. City workers also improve fish habitat in the watershed by monitoring stream flow and temperature, strategically placing gravel in the habitat, and completing spawning surveys.

Other projects are completed as-needed, such as transmission line, water conduit, and other facilities maintenance.

Over the next several months, some new projects are emerging – including re-paving some roads, repairing historic structures in the watershed, and replacing log booms.